Emersons Green Voice June 2023

GREEN, LYDE GREEN, SHORTWOOD & PUCKLECHURCH

Emersons Green’s Coronation day event moved inside because of the rain - only for these children to play in the snow, created by a machine in the village hall. Coronation events: Pages 8 & 9

All change on council

SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has new leadership, after the Conservatives lost power at the local elections.

The council’s Liberal Democrat and Labour groups, both of which made gains at the Tories’ expense on May 4, have agreed to work together to form a new administration.

Liberal Democrat group leader Claire Young is the new council leader, while Labour’s Ian Boulton will be the council’s co-leader. Announcing the partnership deal two weeks after the elections that ended eight years of Tory control of the authority and saw three seats in the Turn to Page 3

Dan launches clean-up effort

Lyde Green resident Dan Fedigan has set up a litter-picking group and is calling for more bins near bus stops.

PAGE 11

School wins more funding

Emersons Green Primary School has struck an improved funding deal with South Gloucestershire Council.

PAGE 11

Vandals strike at skate park

Vandals have caused damage at Emersons Green skate park, targeting a memorial bench for teenager Jamie Clapp.

PAGE 13

Picture: Ian Lyons

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

Headaches: don’t put up with them!

ALTHOUGH very common, they are not a normal part of life when in good health.

We’ve been successfully helping patients with, headaches, migraines, neck tension and symptoms of hay fever for years and our proud to say their quality of life has meaningfully improved over the short and long term.

We know how debilitating it can be, so we’ve put together some hints and tips to help you get better and live life with less limitations from headaches.

10 million people a year suffer from headaches and we’re often quick to take painkillers, but never stop consider what the cause of the headache is in the first place.

Most headaches are caused by irritation to the structures around the neck: joints, ligaments, muscles, and inter vertebral discs.

As chiropractors we are trained to find the cause of these issues and correct the underlying problem at the root of the headaches.

The most common forms of headaches are tension headaches, migraines, and medication head aches (caused by medication side effects).

Tension Headaches (Cervicogenic headaches)

Tension headaches involve pain and discomfort of the neck, head, or scalp. They are normally accompanied by muscle tension in these areas as well, which can lead to feeling like the head is in a vice.

Migraines

Migraines are usually a severe headache at the front or side of the head. This is often felt as a throbbing pain. Other symptoms can be nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light. Migraines are a very common condition and usually effect more women than men.

The Chiropractic solution

Tension headaches are usually the result of muscle contraction or joint misalignment in the neck.

By addressing this joint, muscle or nerve misalignment/ irritation we can get on top of the headaches and then train people through a course of care to prevent relapses.

Acupuncture is also often very effective, we offer this as part of our headache treatment protocol if required.

Often, these muscle contractions are triggered by poor posture (see our series on

posture correction), stress, and anxiety.

We commonly see teenagers with these types of headaches in clinic, in fact our youngest patient with headaches to date is 9 years old. Thankfully he’s headache free, having fewer days off school and happily playing with friends without being held back.

‘Text Neck’

This is a new phenomenon since the advent of widespread smart phone use. When the head is dropped forward for too long, like when on our mobile phones, this leads to tightening of the muscles, severe spasms and headaches. Hence the name.

Top Tips

• Posture - Be mindful of your posture (hold your head up & try a few chin tucks)

• Ice - apply an ice pack to the base of the skull – where the head and neck meet. Apply for 10 minutes, repeat 3 times in a row if you feel a headache coming on or having one. This will reduce the inflammation and settle your head and neck

• Phones- hold them up to your eye line, or lye on your back and hold the phone up with straight arms

Whatever the reason you’re experiencing these headaches, come and see us to get to the bottom of them. We are highly skilled in finding the root cause and trained to spot any serious problems masquerading as headaches.

Headaches are not normal, don’t put up with them! Find

the cause, fix the problem, enjoy life!

T:

W:

FB:

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Matt Sutton

From Page 1

Emersons Green area change hands, they set out a series of priorities for the new administration.

They include:

• A shared focus on the climate emergency and helping residents with the cost-of-living crisis.

• A review of how the council makes policy, including local decision-making and more public involvement.

• Sharing the council’s seat at the West of England Combined Authority, and working to improve local buses and the travel network.

The two groups spent a fortnight ironing out details of a deal following the elections which saw the Tories lose their overall majority.

The Conservatives lost ten seats at the elections, including two in Emersons Green to Labour and one, in Boyd Valley, to the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems gained three seats in total, including one in Frenchay & Downend, while Labour gained six seats overall.

There was also one independent gain in the elections, at Labour’s expense.

While the Tories are still the largest party, with 23 seats in the chamber, the number needed to command a majority in the 61seat chamber is 31.

The 20 Lib Dem and 17 Labour members’ combined 37 votes gives them an effective majority of 13.

After signing the written agreement to form an administration, Cllr Young, who represents Frampton Cotterell ward, said: “People voted for change in May, following eight years of Conservative rule.

“In discussions with the Labour group it was apparent we had many shared goals to improve the lives of local people.

“We want to take the council in a different direction, working with local people to make South Gloucestershire a better place for everyone.

Cllr Boulton, who represents Staple Hill & Mangotsfield, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity to put forward a new vision for South Gloucestershire.

“We’re aware of the budgetary challenges at the moment, with the Conservative government failing to fund local authorities properly.

“That can change at next year’s general election.”

Lib Dem-Labour deal to run South Gloucestershire Council

Cllr Young said voters had clearly “had enough of the Conservatives”, while Cllr Boulton said voters were “holding the Conservative party to account for the disastrous policies they have imposed on us — both locally and nationally”.

Outgoing Tory leader Toby Savage said his party did better locally than on a national level, where it lost more than 1,000 seats, despite losing its majority in the district.

Cllr Boulton took over as Labour group leader following the retirement of predecessor Pat Rooney at the elections.

Cabinet members for the new administration were due to be announced following the council’s annual meeting on May 24, when the new leadership was being confirmed in a vote.

While the political groups held discussions the day-to-day running of and decision-making for the authority was managed by senior officers and managers.

Council chief executive Dave Perry said: “The role of officers during this period has been to ensure that the council continues to operate as it should, while supporting members in their conversations, providing, where required, legal and constitutional advice.”

The council’s new Conservative group leader Sam Bromiley, who represents Parkwall & Warmley ward, criticised the other parties for not involving his group in discussions on the future leadership of the authority.

The former cabinet member for children and young people, who took over as Tory group leader after former council leader Toby Savage stood down at the elections, said: “We are disappointed that Labour and the Liberal Democrats have chosen to exclude the largest party from all discussions on how to run the council.

“On several occasions we have

offered to meet to discuss how all residents’ views can be reflected in the new council, but each time this was met by silence.”

He said: “I’m encouraged that a number of colleagues have been returned in wards that might well have fallen to the opposition parties were they to be tracking the national position, which suggests that South Gloucestershire Conservatives are outperforming the Conservatives nationally.”

Election round-up: Pages 4&5

Ian Boulton and Claire Young announce their parties' deal to share power on South Gloucestershire Council

emersonsgreenvoice

Publisher Gary Brindle 0117 907 8585 07799 461169

ID rules cost 58 votes

MORE than 50 voters did not cast a ballot in South Gloucestershire's elections after falling foul of new rules on photo ID.

Journalist Linda Tanner 0777 0700579

Journalist

Ken McCormick 07715 770377

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DEADLINES

Our July edition deadline is June 14.

LOCAL INFORMATION

South Gloucestershire Council www.southglos.gov.uk

01454 868009

Police

www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk

general enquiries: 101

Emergency: 999

Fire

www.avonfire.gov.uk

General enquiries: 0117 926 2061

Emergency: 999

NHS 111

Safer Stronger team

sscg@southglos.gov.uk

01454 868009

Anti social behaviour team

asbreporting@southglos.gov.uk

01454 868582

Streetcare/litter/vandalism etc

streetcare@southglos.gov.uk

Environment/trading standards

01454 868001

Well Aware

Health and social care information www.wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Emersons Green Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Emersons Green Voice is distributed each month to local residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is welcomed, call Gary Brindle on 0117 907 8585 or news@emersonsgreenvoice. co.uk.

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Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Emersons Green Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour.

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A member of the

May's elections were the first to be held under new laws requiring proof of identification from everyone turning up at polling stations.

The council's returning officer said the "overwhelming majority" of electors brought photo ID that met the requirements.

A total of 216 electors were initially turned away after turning up to vote without a passport, driving licence or one of a number of other accepted forms of ID.

Of those, 158 returned with identification and were able to cast their ballots.

That left 58 who did not return.

The council says 43,798 people voted in the election and the number of people who did not get to vote represented just over 0.1% of the total who tried.

The council issued a total of 248 Voter Authority Certificates, for people who did not have another approved form of photo ID, before the election.

Wednesdays at 7:30pm

Thursdays at 9:30am

Contact Lesley 07503524459

THE Emersons Green area played a key role in shifting the balance of power away from the Conservatives on South Gloucestershire Council.

The Tories had previously held all three seats in the Emersons Green ward and both seats in Boyd Valley, which includes Pucklechurch.

But by the time counting finished they held just one seat

Labour and Lib Dems gain from Tories’ election blues

in each ward, part of an overall loss of 10 councillors in South Gloucestershire and more than

Emersons Green

Winning candidates

LABOUR gained two of the three council seats for Emersons Green, with Conservative former cabinet member Rachael Hunt the only sitting councillor to be re-elected.

Labour’s Katrina Al-Hassan topped the poll, gaining 1,614 votes.

In an unusually close result, just 50 votes separated second and fifth place.

Rachael Hunt was second, with 1,532 votes, 24 ahead of Labour’s Ron Hardie, the third candidate to be elected.

Former town councillor Sadik Al-Hassan missed joining his wife Katrina on the Labour group by just 10 votes.

Conservative Colin Hunt, who had been a district councillor since 1987, was another 16 votes further behind in fifth place, with 1,482.

The other Tory candidate, Alka MehtaGraham, ended up in sixth on 1,183 votes.

Afterwards Katrina said: “Election night was such an amazing experience as the residents of Emersons Green put their trust in me and Ron to fix the long-standing problems in our area.

“It is such an honour to be able to make an impact where I live, and I have already started to work for change for our residents.”

Full results:

Katrina Al-Hassan (Lab): 1,614

Rachael Hunt (Con): 1,532

Ron Hardie (Lab): 1,508

Sadik Al-Hassan (Lab): 1,498

Colin Hunt (Con): 1,482

Alka Mehta-Graham (Con): 1,183

Sian Harris (Green): 876

Gabriela Miron (LD): 424

Susan Walker (LD): 324

Laurence Walker (LD): 306

Key to parties:

Con: Conservative Lab: Labour

LD: Liberal Democrats Grn: Green

1,000 nationwide. In the New Cheltenham ward, which includes the Siston

Boyd Valley

Winning candidates

THE Tories’ other loss in the area was in Boyd Valley, where Liberal Democrat Marilyn Palmer topped the poll, ousting former Tory cabinet member Steve Reade in the process.

It was a return to the council for Marilyn, who had previously served the area as both a Pucklechurch parish councillor and a district councillor.

She said: “It’s a great privilege to be elected to represent Boyd Valley again on South Gloucestershire Council. I’m thrilled to be back and I would like to thank everyone for their support. I will work hard and do my very best for this special area.”

Marilyn was 82 votes ahead of the surviving Conservative candidate, Ben Stokes, who in turn was just 23 votes of Steve Reade.

A nearly 50-50 split in the vote saw the two Lib Dem candidates receive a combined total of 2,446 votes, one more than the Tories’ 2,445.

Full result:

Marilyn Palmer (LD): 1,316

Ben Stokes (Con): 1,234

Steve Reade (Con): 1,211

Neil Willmott (LD): 1,130

Andy Banwell (Reform UK): 155

Parish election

PUCKLECHURCH Parish Council was one of the few in the region where elections took place in May.

Ten candidates ran for the nine seats on the council, none of whom were running under a party label.

Instead they either appeared on the ballot as independents or with no description at all.

Gail Boyle topped the poll with 499 votes, followed by Dean Freestone (444), Jonathan

Hill estate, Labour increased its previously narrow margin of victory.

New Cheltenham

Winning candidates

LABOUR held both seats in the New Cheltenham ward, with a much-increased margin of victory over the Conservatives.

Labour’s second-placed candidate was 243 votes ahead of the leading Conservative - in 2019 the margin had been just 16 votes.

Topping the poll with 936 votes was new Labour candidate Matt Palmer, a former Emersons Green town councillor.

Sitting Labour councillor Sandie Davies received 907 votes, with Conservative Ian Adams third on 664 votes.

The two Liberal Democrat candidates came in fifth and sixth, more than 300 votes behind the Tories.

Full result:

Matt Palmer (Lab) 936

Sandie Davis (Lab): 907

Ian Adams (Con): 664

Gagan Singh (Con): 546

Ruth Davis (LD): 204

Richard Parkinson (LD): 152

Bailey (406), Andy Hemmings (405), Jayne Hawkins (394), Tina Symons (284), Rick Dunning (244), Lynne English (243) and Mike Pibworth (215).

The candidate who missed out, by ten votes, was Nathan Anscombe (205).

As reported in last month’s Voice, no elections took place for Emersons Green Town Council as only eight candidates put themselves forward for the 16 places available.

Siston Parish Council’s Pomphrey ward, which covers the Siston Hill estate, had one nominee for its three seats.

Katrina Al-Hassan, Rachael Hunt and Ron Hardie

Marilyn Palmer and Ben Stokes

Matt Palmer and Sandie Davis

n TURNERS VISION

5 mistakes to avoid when choosing glasses

Finding glasses you’re happy with isn’t just nice to have, it is essential. You’re likely to be wearing them every day after all, so you won’t want to be constantly irritated by them or wearing them less than you ought to because you’re embarrassed to wear them.

But choosing the right frames can be frustrating with so many different frames available. The amount of choice can often feel overwhelming and timeconsuming, leading to people making snap decisions, just to ‘get the job done’. And that’s when mistakes get made that lead to discomfort, dissatisfaction, and glasses you don’t much want to wear.

Here are five mistakes to avoid when choosing your next pair of glasses:

Not considering your face shape

One of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing glasses is not considering their face shape. Different frames suit different face shapes, and it's essential to choose a pair that complements your features. For example, round frames look great on angular faces, while square-shaped frames tend to suit round faces.

Not thinking about your lifestyle

What you do in life plays a significant role in what style of glasses you need. If you lead an active lifestyle, you may need more durable glasses or have sportspecific frames. Alternatively, if you spend a lot of time at your computer, you may need lenses that block screen glare.

Putting fashion first

Everyone wants to look and feel good in their glasses, but it’s just as important to choose a comfortable and functional pair. A fashionable frame that doesn't fit well or causes discomfort can lead to headaches, eye strain, and other eye problems. Our frame stylists are experts in helping our customers find the perfect pair that tick all the boxes.

Forgetting that lenses matter

The material of your lenses can affect clarity of vision, weight of your glasses, and overall comfort. Scratch or impact-resistant lenses improve durability, whereas transition lenses improve your vision in the sun. Choosing the right lens material makes a significant difference to vision and comfort. At Turners, our specialist lab makes lenses just for our patients. Our experienced team can help you choose the right lens options to match your individual needs and lifestyle.

Bypassing a professional fitting

One of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing glasses is bypassing a professional fitting. This often happens when people buy online. Poorly fitting glasses cause discomfort, slippage and even headaches. Our expert frame stylists ensure your glasses fit comfortably, so you enjoy maximum comfort and visual clarity.

At Turners Opticians, we offer a VIP fitting experience to help you avoid the pitfalls and find the perfect glasses. Our frame stylists are available at both practices to guide you through the process, taking your lifestyle, face shape, and personal preferences into consideration

To book view our glasses range, call our Henleaze team on 0117 962 2474 or Fishponds team on 0117 965 4434.

Ginny Allwood MCOptom Prof Cert Med Ret, is an Associate specialist Optometrist and Qualified Dispensing Optician, at Turners Opticians in Bristol

Three Greens Festival transforms into Earthfest

A FESTIVAL to celebrate the natural world is returning to Emersons Green Park – with a new name.

The park’s friends group first staged the Three Greens Festival two years ago, and it returned last summer with extra activities.

Now the festival is back again with more new features - and a new name, Earthfest.

Taking place on July 1, Earthfest will include the walking tours with naturalists and traditional music familiar to visitors to previous festivals.

But the organisers have added new features, including the premiere of a specially-composed story, with music and dance, called ‘The Earth and Us’.

Lead organiser Chris Sunderland, of the Friends of Emersons Green Park, wrote the story, a “whirlwind tour of Earth history” with storyteller Michael Loader and musician Fiona Barrow.

Chris said: “What amazed me as we put this together was the sense that almost no one else is talking about the history of the Earth. Surely this is a story that must be told.”

As in previous years the festival will begin with a parade from the Langley Arms across

the park to the festival site near the library, gathering from 9.30am for a 10am start.

Organisers are inviting everyone to join the parade and dress up in green tops and red hats in honour of the local ‘bird of the year’, the green woodpecker.

The festival will celebrate the Community Nature Reserve set up by Emersons Green Town Council, the Friends and other groups, which now has more than 200 gardens registered across the area, with bird box building and other workshops aimed at making the gardens involved even more nature-friendly.

Avon Wildlife Trust will offer wildflower plants and advice about growing them, and

there will be a ‘Garden of Promise’, where people can leave a wildflower plant to be planted later by the Friends.

Music is set to include a ‘Song for the Earth’ by the choir of Emersons Green Primary School and performances by the Great Day Choir and Ham Farm festival organiser Emily Correa, on a flute made from a vegetable.

A walk to discover the “rhythms of nature” will be followed by a percussion workshop.

A competition called ‘I Live Here’, where people are encouraged to draw something that lives in the area and write something about it on a side of A4 is being held beforehand, with entries to be displayed at the festival.

Chris said: “We are aiming to break new ground this year, going deeper into the heart of what really matters to this generation and re-imagining our relationship with the Earth.”

More details of the competition, bookings and information about events can be found on the Friends of Emersons Green Park website or Facebook page.

Garden open day: Page 10

Change of plan for Coronation party

A CORONATION party planned for Emersons Green Park had to move indoors after a bad weather forecast.

Advance warning of the rain heading across the region on May 6, the day King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey, gave the town council and Emersons Green Village Hall the chance to change their plans the day before, and move the planned Picnic in the Park event into the hall.

It meant the music, dancing and party games took place inside the main hall, with a large screen set up in one of the hall’s meeting rooms for people who wanted to watch the ceremony in London.

Village hall manager

Nikki Frost said: “After much deliberation, it was decided that the event would take place entirely at the Village Hall, due to unfavourable weather conditions forecast.

“Although the organisers were initially disappointed to move the event from the park, the decision was made to prioritise the health and safety of all attendees.

“Despite the change in venue, the event was a resounding success, with attendees enjoying a plethora of entertainment options throughout the day.

“The rooms were filled with the sounds of laughter, music, dancing, and joyous celebrations as King Charles III was crowned.

“The outstanding Party Peeps, Bristol Pops Orchestra, mini-

concerts, and Correa Andrews Ensemble provided incredible entertainment on stage, while the Kuchipudi Classical Dance group delivered a captivating performance.”

The event also included face painting, balloon sculptures, bouncy castles and slides for children.

Nikki added: “The event was made possible by the hard work and dedication of a partnership between Emersons Green Village Hall and Emersons Green Town Council, including their staff and volunteers, as well as the outstanding security provided by DBD security and volunteering

from the local Explorer Scouts. “We extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to making the King’s Coronation Event for Emersons Green a huge success.”

A big screen event at the Bristol & Bath Science Park did go ahead but with rain, cloud and decidedly cool temperatures through the morning it was understandably not crowded. People attending events the following day, including thousands at the Coronation Big Lunch in Page Park, Staple Hill, had more luck, with sunshine and warm weather for the whole day.

A band takes the stage

Dancers performing in the village hall

Picture: Ian Lyons

Crowds at Page Park for the Big Lunch

The weather-hit big screen event at the science park

Picture: Ian Lyons

Schools mark historic royal event

SCHOOLS in the area held their own celebration events to mark the Coronation.

Mangotsfield Primary School held a picnic lunch on the day before the ceremony in Westminster Abbey, with children wearing red, white and blue and making their own bunting.

The school also studied the King, royal family, coronation ceremony and its historic significance.

The Church of England school has a ‘prayer tree’ on display in its entry hall, which is currently dedicated to the King in support of his role as head of the church.

At Pucklechurch Primary School parents were invited to join pupils and staff for a garden party.

Deputy Head Gemma Jones said: “The children donned their best red, white and blue outfits and made crowns and flags for the occasion.

“They learnt a Coronation song and learnt all about King Charles III in the week leading up to the event.

“Some of our reception children had such a good time that they wanted to know if there would be another Coronation next year!”

Mangotsfield Church of England Primary School pupils at their Coronation picnic

Pucklechurch Primary School invited parents to the party

Celebrating our new community nature reserve

A d a y t o v i s i t s o m e g a r d e n s a n d a l l o t m e n t s a r o u n d E m e r s o n s G r e e n w h i c h h a v e a n i n t e r e s t i n w i l d l i f e

A m a p w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e t h r o u g h E m e r s o n s

G r e e n T o w n C o u n c i l . W e s u g g e s t w a l k i n g t o t h e g a r d e n s . W e a r e u n a b l e t o p r o v i d e p a r k i n g o r t o i l e t s .

Join Dan’s Lyde Green clean-up mission

A LYDE Green resident has started a volunteer group to pick up the “disgusting amount of litter” left lying on the area’s verges.

Dan Fedigan says the problem is particularly bad on roads and paths around the metrobus stops in Westerleigh Lane, between the Bristol & Bath Science Park and National Composites Centre, including Howsmoor Lane.

He says the problem is made worse because there are no litter bins at the stop, which means some people dump cans and coffee cups after they get off the bus instead of taking them home or walking to the bins at the science park.

Dan, who uses the stop to travel to work in Filton, said: “Even if people want to act responsibly, they can’t.

“I have asked Emersons Green Town Council about bins and they say that South Glos Council will not adopt the roads in Lyde Green until the development is finished.

“I’m not blaming the council for people being lazy, but the worse it gets, the more people think they can just throw things anywhere.”

Dan decided to start his own clean-up and, after taking a litter picker with him to the stop and filling a bag with about 30 cans in 10 minutes, he set up a group, Lyde Green Litter Pickers.

The group will meet at 10.30am on the first Sunday of the month outside Lyde Green

Community Centre and has a website at cleanupuk.org.uk/ groups/lyde-green-litter-pickers for people to get in touch.

Litter collection in Lyde Green is currently the responsibility of management company GreenSquareAccord, but the firm said it did not cover

the area by the bus stops.

A spokesperson said: “We are sorry that some of our customers in Lyde Green are being impacted by littering in the local area.

“South Gloucestershire Council empty the bins at our Lyde Green development, by arrangement, in the public space areas. We also clear litter or dumped items within our area of maintenance.”

The company urged people to report problems via its website at greensquareaccord.co.uk/ contact.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said that the majority of the area was still the responsibility of the developers.

The spokesperson said a bin at the Westerleigh Lane stop had been targeted by arsonists more than once and it was decided not to replace it as there were other bins in Dirac Crescent, but the authority was “exploring the possibility of installing new bins” at the stops.

The Science Park management had also been asked to monitor litter levels.

Funding boost for Emersons Green school

A DEAL on funding has been agreed between a primary school and South Gloucestershire Council, months after a head wrote an impassioned warning letter to parents.

Emersons Green Primary School executive head teacher Simon Botten told parents in January that he was “shocked by the poor state of the building and the lack of resources available to children because of significant underfunding by the Local Authority for many years.”

Mr Botten said that when he took overall charge of the school as it formed a partnership with Blackhorse School last summer, he had found 14 windows that didn’t lock, “multiple leaks” in the roof, worn-out furniture, broken toilets, plaster coming from walls and ripped carpets.

He also found there were “only 7 working laptops available to the children”, none of the interactive whiteboards worked and the Wi-Fi system often failed.

Mr Botten told parents the council had been failing to properly fund the school’s

resource base for children with disabilities, with shortfalls of up to £70,000, and said more cuts were planned of up to £100,000 in the next two years.

He opened an Amazon wish list for parents to donate “basic stationery, books and classroom resources”.

However Mr Botten said that after negotiations, the council had agreed that the resource base would now be protected from further cuts for the next three years, a one-off £21,000 payment had been made to and the council had also agreed to jointly fund £50,000 of capital works.

He said: “We’re pleased to say that we have been able to come to an arrangement with the local authority whereby the true cost of the school’s exceptional Resource Base has been agreed for the next three years and we are now able to set a balanced budget (for the first time in about 7 years).

“The school, having made parents aware of the funding difficulties which the school was experiencing, was overwhelmed by the support which was provided both in terms

of families directly purchasing much needed resources and by making donations to the school. Whilst this was never going to be a solution to the school’s under-funding, it showed the strength of the Emersons Green Primary School community at the school’s time of need.”

Mr Botten said the leaky roof and broken window locks had been fixed, and corridors, cloakrooms and toilets were being refurbished with the money provided.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said: “Detailed discussions took place with the school, which included looking at the ongoing costs of the Resource Base and how that compared to funding levels, as well as urgent capital works identified at the school.

“The council has a responsibility to ensure priority capital works are completed and that SEND funding for its schools is sufficient and we are pleased to confirm that the issues reviewed have been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the council and the School.”

Dan Fedigan with a bag of litter he collected at the bus stop in Westerleigh Lane

Vandals strike at memorial skate park

A VANDAL attack on a skate park which was created in memory of a Mangotsfield teenager has prompted calls for action on a promised revamp.

Obscene graffiti was sprayed on ramps at the park next to Emersons Green Retail Park and a memorial bench to Jamie Lee Clapp was entirely covered with silver paint during the incident, which happened between May 12 and 14.

Jamie was only 13 when he was killed in a plane crash in 2007.

His father Gordon wanted a lasting memorial to his son, who loved skateboarding and BMX riding, and with Jamie's friends he campaigned to secure £100,000 from local councillors, South Gloucestershire Council and the Big Lottery Fund's Peoples Millions partnership.

The skate park opened in 2011 but in recent years the BMX track has become overgrown with brambles, which shield the skate park from nearby homes overlooking it, so what happens cannot be seen at night. There is no CCTV monitoring.

Gordon has regularly visited the park since it was opened but is now gravely ill with oesophageal cancer.

He has been trying for years to ensure the area around the skate park is properly maintained, but the weeds have been allowed to grow while the area awaits work to build a new path nearby, as part of South Gloucestershire Council's Linking the Greens project.

When the project was announced it was suggested responsibility for the park would be passed from South Gloucestershire to Emersons Green Town Council - but while the town council is willing to take the park on, the last meeting over its future took place nearly a year ago

Gordon's friend Clive Heath, who is the chair of Mangotsfield Residents Association, said: "Gordon was devastated by this vandalism. It's a memorial park and should be treated with respect.

"The bushes provide cover and a lot of youngsters come here at night taking drugs - if one were to overdose they could be left here all night.

"None of the promises for improvement have been kept. What we need to know is who is responsible for it - and when are these changes going to take place?"

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said the council's street cleansing team had been working to remove the graffiti.

The spokesperson called on anyone who sees vandalism taking place to call the police on 101 and report any graffiti in public open spaces, either on the council website or by calling 01454 868000.

However there is currently "no timescale" for the completion of the Linking the Greens project or handover of the park.

Police have called on anyone with information or video footage of those responsible for the graffiti to call 101 and give the reference number 5223 113 303.

The names and initials sprayed at the site were Dukes, Dukey, KE, OH, LC, Riko, Reekz, Rell, Sym, Logan and AW.

Clive Heath at the memorial bench, which was sprayed silver during a vandal attack on the skate park.

New measures to help make you safe

AS the local MP, I want local people to feel safe and be safe.

In Westminster I have led and taken part in debates to push for action and locally, around the constituency, I have held joint surgeries with our Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Shelford, to enable residents to express their concerns and highlight their local policing priorities.

The Prime Minister promised to cut crime, crack down on anti-social behaviour and make our streets safer – and at the heart of that pledge is recruiting 20,000 additional police officers across the country.

I am therefore delighted that he confirmed that this manifesto commitment has now been met.

Reaching this target means that in our Avon and Somerset Constabulary area there are over 500 more police officers to crack down on crime, relentlessly pursue criminals, and protect victims.

Furthermore, the police are also being given greater powers to deal with criminals and bring perpetrators to justice, including through the government’s new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. New measures include:

*Banning nitrous oxide or ‘laughing gas’ to send a clear message to intimidating gangs that hang

around high streets and parks and litter them with empty cannisters that they will not get away with this behaviour. The drug is now the third most used among 16 to 24 year olds in England;

*Increasing the punishment for those who graffiti, litter or fly tip with fines of up to £500 and £1,000. This will complement South Gloucestershire Council’s existing zero-tolerance approach on these issues;

*Giving landlords and housing associations more powers to evict unruly tenants who ruin neighbour’s lives through persistent noise or by being drunk and disorderly;

*Giving police new powers to crack down on illegal drug use, often a catalyst for other crimes, including expanding powers for drug testing on arrest so more suspected criminals can be tested, and more drugs tested for.

There will also be some pilot areas around the country where offenders will be made to wear highvis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision to pick up litter, remove graffiti and wash police cars as punishment for their actions.

I look forward to the lessons learned from these pilots informing a wider roll-out of new initiatives to help people be and feel even safer locally.

Chris Skidmore writes for Emersons Green Voice

WILL & PROBATE ADVICE

Martin Lewis TV show on death and dementia

The financial expert Martin Lewis recently focussed his TV programme on the difficult issues of death and dementia that so many families avoid discussing.

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HIS PROGRAMME WERE:

1: All adults need an up to date Will (for when they die) to provide for those they love, and to save money spent on family disputes.

2: Having Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) is now even more important than having a Will.

3: The age for adults to set up LPAs is NOW!

LPAs need to be set up whilst you have mental capacity, and you don’t know what life will bring – LPAs

make sure your wishes are followed if you became seriously ill or injured and lost mental capacity. The alternative to LPAs was described as horrendously expensive, slow, and may still not give you the results you’d want.

4: The gold standard to aim for is a Will and LPAs prepared by a firm of solicitors. They may cost a little more, but you should take professional advice and they will make sure they are legally valid.

5: Also, a firm of solicitors will (as part of their service) help you avoid

other problems as they will check related documents such as property titles.

The programme is Episode 14 and is still available on ITVX – but everyone should take professional advice on their own individual circumstances.

A FREE (no obligation) Will and LPA review is offered to readers of the Voice by your local experts, Simpson Solicitors.

To book your free review pop into their Chipping Sodbury Office (opposite Coventry Building Society on the main high street) or call 01454 322 722.

Station art project was no folly, says leader

THE project manager of the year-long Mangotsfield Folly creative project has written to highlight some of its successes.

Suzanne Heath organised events at the wooden structure, built by architects Artel31 at the former Mangotsfield Station next to the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, in a project organised with transport charity Sustrans and funded by Arts Council England and Emersons Green Town Council.

The project had a rough start, being damaged by vandals in April and May last year before the first installation, a mural by Bristol artists Lucas Antics, was even started.

And it was brought to a premature close when two stolen motorbikes were set on fire in April and May of this year, wrecking the structure and scuppering plans to hold a farewell event then give it and the mural to a local group.

Suzanne said: "Over the past 12 months Mangotsfield Station on the Bristol –Bath Railway Path has hosted a series of temporary artist commissions responding to the history of the station.

"Artworks have included participatory events, dance, music, visual art, printmaking and audio-based artworks.

"Artist Feral Practice ran public events at

the site, including bug hunting with a local expert and bird ringing with an ornithologist.

"Her project culminated in a series of seven audio artworks including an interview with the last stationmaster’s daughter.

"Three emerging artists were awarded mini commissions to create experimental new work for the site, including local female artist collective Comfy Club, who installed bike stands and a tiny slide; Lauren Ainley who performed her choreography commission at Mangotsfield; and artist/gardener Jo Ball, who planted 1,000 bulbs at Mangotsfield Station and sang with the Orchard Community Choir to welcome spring.

"Other Bristol-based artists involved included writer Holly Corfield Carr who collaborated with printmaker Nick Hand and illustrator Harriet Lee Merrion to create a poem-based card game called Impatience. The project launched with an event where people could print a postcard on Nick’s Printing Bike.

"Hand painted and gilded signage was commissioned by signwriter Straight and Narrow Signs, and we worked with City Edition Studio on the graphic design. The site was also used by two groups of art students from Bath Spa University who showed their

work at the station in May 2022.

"We would love to hear your views on the project, and what you would like to see at Mangotsfield Station in the future."

Suzanne is inviting people to share their views by emailing info@suzanneheath.co.uk.

Images videos and sound recordings from the project, and more information, can be found at mangotsfieldfolly.uk.

A bug hunting session held at Mangotsfield Folly last summer. Picture: Suzanne Heath

Mangotsfield Festival is back after four years

THE Mangotsfield Village Festival returns this month, four years after it was last held.

The event returns for the 31st time on June 10, with some changes to the set-up from the most recent festival in 2019.

This year the festival is taking place at a new venue, on the Pomphrey Hill North Field, off Johnson Road.

While the traditional parade to the venue from the village green outside the Lamb Inn had not been confirmed as the Voice went to print, the familiar mix of music, dance displays, dog show and stalls is all in place.

Following an opening ceremony at 11am there will be displays from local schools and clubs before a programme of live music begins at 1.25pm with the Staple Hill-based Kris Nock Big Band.

The other bands are Kick The Cat, Outatime 80's and closing act Levi Valentino, who will play the last hour before the festival ends at 8pm.

There will be an area dedicated to children's activities, called the Kids Zone, along with a variety of food and drink to suit all tastes.

Ross Janes, from the Mangotsfield Festival Planning Committee, said: "The dictionary defines a community as a group of people living in the same place, but I would argue that definition really doesn't do Mangotsfield justice.

"Mangotsfield is full of people who come together regularly for shared causes, and nothing exemplifies this more than the Mangotsfield Village Festival.

"I have been involved on the very fringes of the festival for 12 years, helping to lead the parade through our village, but this is my first year serving on the planning committee.

"It has been an eye-opening experience to see the dedication shown by those involved behind the scenes.

"We first met in September and I, wrongly, assumed it

would be standingroom only. You may be surprised to learn that it is in fact a small, dedicated team who help to plan and run the entire festival.

"On average it costs about £16,000 to put on our festival, which is a figure that may shock many, and is why this year has seen many local events come to an end due to the financial challenges they have face.

"We want to ensure Mangotsfield Festival continues, so we will be asking for those attending to make donations on the day. We are very grateful for the support we receive from both South Gloucestershire

Council and Emersons Green Town Council alongside local businesses who donate their services - without them the festival could not happen.”

The organisers are advising all visitors to leave their cars at home, as there will be no on-site parking.

Updates on the parade and other details can be found at the festival's Facebook page or website, www. mangotsfieldfestival.co.uk.

Anyone interested in having a stall at the festival should email stalls@mangotsfieldfestival. co.uk, and anyone who would like to volunteer on the day should contact the planning committee at committee@ mangotsfieldfestival.co.uk.

Every year the festival makes grants to good causes in the local community - organisations who would like to apply for one should email grants@ mangotsfieldfestival.co.uk.

National Award winners

Ross Janes

Plastics promise

SOUTH Gloucestershire Council insists that hard plastics left at its Sort It centre in Mangotsfield are still being recycled, despite the removal of a dedicated collection bay.

Rigid plastics that cannot be left out for kerbside collection, such as garden furniture and toys, have been collected at the tip in Carsons Road for several years. The dedicated bay was removed earlier this year, and the space is now used for wood recycling.

The change was not widely publicised by the council and when Mangotsfield residents Mike and Linda Reeves went to the centre to dispose of some plastic items Mike says staff could only tell him there had been a directive to put all hard plastics in with general waste.

A council spokesperson said the rigid plastic collection bay had been removed to make way for a separate collection point for soft and stuffed furnishings such as sofas, in line with rules on these so-called Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Visitors who ask about the change should be given leaflets about the changes, the spokesperson said, adding: "The changes were due to limited space on site to allow us to segregate the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS) materials and separately collect rigid plastics. Rigid plastics are now placed in with the general waste pile at the recycling centres, which is then sent to a facility in Bristol which sorts the waste and removes recyclable materials, including rigid plastics."

Mike said: "It's ridiculous to do this when people were already separating the plastic out. It's doubling the work - somebody's got to watch it go through a conveyor belt and pick out the plastic from the rubbish."

The council says rigid plastics can be "easily separated" at the site in Bristol. The stuffed furnishings are sent to an "energy from waste" for incineration.

When you mention The Voice

Art competition

CHILDREN at Pucklechurch Primary School organised an art competition as part of a week of activities around autism.

Deputy head teacher Gemma Jones said the competition was one of a series of activities planned by the school’s Equities Crew, a children’s leadership group focussed on “celebrating differences and ensuring that everyone gets a voice”.

She said: “They started the week with an assembly where they shared some of the differences autistic people experience and taught everyone about the lives of famous people with autism, such as Elon Musk and Greta Thunberg.

“This year, the theme of Autism Acceptance Week was colour, so Equities Crew invited all of the children to come to school in their most colourful outfit.

“They also organised an art competition and ask children to create their most colourful piece of art.”

The winners were Reception pupil Frank Bathgate and Zia Wiltshire-Wells, from Year 4.

Reception pupil Frank Bathgate created this tree silhouette with a colourful background

Year 4 pupil Zia Wiltshire-Wells created multi-coloured roses

Pupils show commitment to charities

MANGOTSFIELD School students have been helping charities which support people in their community.

Year 8 pupils took part in a programme organised by social action charity First Give between January and April as part of their personal, social, health and economic education lessons.

Class groups researched social issues in the area before deciding on an issue they wanted to take action on by supporting a charity.

They met representatives of their chosen charity and discussed ways they could raise awareness or funds, and how this would help the charity.

Groups competed for the chance to win a £1,000 First Give grant for their chosen charity at a presentation event during the project, with entries judged by Tina Potter and David Lewis from Kingswood Rotary Club and school head teacher Hetty Blackmore.

Mrs Blackmore said: "Students presented beautifully, outlining the important work their chosen charity undertakes, the impact the grant could have for them and described the social action that the mentor group did to primarily raise awareness of the charity.

"The presentations were engaging, hard-hitting and even involved a quiz and some dancing!"

Winners Ray Young, Jenson White, Ollie Hooper, Freya Harding, Evie Sheppard and Summer Richards of class C8.2 won the £1,000 grant for their nominated charity, Young Lives vs Cancer.

As well as explaining their reasons for supporting the charity they held a bake sale and 'sponge the teacher' fundraiser.

Other groups held activities including a penalty shoot-out,

poster campaigns and more bake sales.

The judges also commended Fin McCann, Nathan Basanta, Lennon Pratt and Alfie Jordan from class C8.1 for their "entertaining and informative" presentation for Cancer Research UK, and Dubem Asime from class S8.2, who made a solo presentation supporting Cotswold Cats and Dogs Home, for his resilience and commitment.

Mrs Blackmore said: "It was an inspiring event showing the passion and dedication of young people to local causes in the community that they care about.

"The audience participation from the non-presenting members of Year 8 was electric and the whole experience was a true testament to our school value of community.

"We look forward to next year and supporting more of our local charities."

Mangotsfield School head Hetty Blackmore with pupils Jenson White, Ray Young, Ollie Hopper, Summer Richards, Evie Sheppard, Freya Harding, and Tina Potter and David Lewis of Kingswood Rotary Club

n LYDE GREEN OPEN SPACE

Our new hub creates a buzz

WE are well underway at Lyde Green Open Space in creating a wildlife-friendly pollinator hub for the area, and the start of that is the planter project alongside the school area at Willowherb Road.

We are pleased to say that this project is almost completed and, with the help of Sally Pattison at the council and Sarah and Mike at Elmwood Garden Centre, we are witnessing the birth of the Lyde Green pollinating hub!

We want to enhance all areas of Lyde Green with wildflower and other pollinating species, and create a real hotspot for our birds, bees and bugs.

You only have to look up along Willowherb Road to see the many lovely little house martins travelling all the way from Africa to enjoy the eaves of our buildings, year after year.

Sally writes about the pollinating planters: “Plants from Elmwood include many herbs such as lavender and rosemary.

“These purple flowers are loved by all sorts of insects, which see in ultraviolet.

“Herbs generally haven’t been messed around with by plant breeders. They are therefore more true to the old plants which

insects have evolved to pollinate.

“Herbs usually like it hot and sandy as they’re originally Mediterranean. This is a problem in South Gloucestershire which has damp, heavy clay soil.

“However our free drawing planters could solve this problem. Rosemary is always a pretty good bet for South Gloucestershire and every garden should have some. Next time you pass, give the plants a sniff!

“As well as the fragrant herbs, which you’ll be very welcome to pick, we added lots of verbena. As well as being tall, beautiful and a rather trendy plant, this is another purple flower, much loved by the insects.

“We’re not just talking bees (of which there are over 250 species). Hover flies will love the fennel and the verbena will attract moths at night.

“All these insects will boost the diet of local birds - maybe a few bats, too.

“They will be able to feed late broods of young and fatten themselves up for the winter or a mighty migration. All the plants are perennial, so this wildlife buffet should return year after year.”

We hope this has inspired you to do more

and to get outdoors to enjoy Lyde Green!

If you can help us in any way please do get in touch: finance people are urgently needed. We have a few names starting to gather now, so we will be meeting up soon to have a chat and see where we can all work together. Many thanks for the support - we really do enjoy serving Lyde Green.

For more information email lgopenspace@ gmail.com or message us on Facebook.

Binks

Laurence

Chair, Lyde Green OpenSpace Group

n MANGOTSFIELD RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Blooms brighten the village

I THINK everyone would agree that the world looks a lot better now that plants are blooming.

If you want an example then look no further than the Alec Large Memorial Park in Mangotsfield: what a great job South Glos Council have done on it.

You may also have noticed our new planters at each 'Welcome to Mangotsfield' sign.

Early days for the flowers in them, but hopefully they’ll look as good as the ones in the village. Thanks to Mangotsfield Scouts for making them, and all the volunteers who helped put them out.

You may have noticed we’ve had the window bars repaired on the Dame School building.

It’s a small thing but makes so much difference. The garden is also looking a lot better, thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated volunteers, and it now has a rose bush to commemorate the coronation. The wildflowers

we planted last year are also coming along nicely.

It’s Mangotsfield Festival on June 10 - back after a four-year break. We hope it will be a great day. We’ve been asked to spread the message to leave the car at home if you are planning to go along - we all know the challenges of parking in the local area.

Our next Red Lion coffee morning will be on Wednesday June 7, at 10am. All are welcome, the more the merrier, and if you are wondering whether to come along then perhaps the fact that the cakes are awesome might persuade you?

And finally, our local scout group help us a lot with various activities. It's worth remembering it was them who started the Dame School Garden project by cutting down and digging out the laurel bushes.

They are always looking for more adult leaders and volunteers, so if you can help them please contact Simon Budd on 07765 201435.

If you want to get involved with Mangotsfield Residents Association then please get in touch by email at MangotsfieldRA@ gmail.com or via the ever popular Mangotsfield Matters Facebook page.

You can also telephone our chair, Clive Heath on 07507 168700 or me on 07918 701881.

Chris Amos Flowers blooming at Alec Large Memorial Park in Mangotsfield

Birthday bus passes

EVERY resident in the West of England is being offered free bus travel throughout the month of their birthday thanks to an £8 million initiative from the region’s directly elected Metro Mayor Dan Norris.

The plan is for the first passengers to travel free from 1 July 2023, and the scheme will run until 30 June 2024, so every resident’s birthday is included.

Bus operators First, Stagecoach and WestLink are all signed up to the scheme.

It is hoped 'birthday buses' will act as a catalyst for bus travel in the West of England to boost the number of passengers and, with a whole month of free travel, encourage a long-term shift in travel behaviour.

Passengers will be able to register for free travel at www. birthdaybus.co.uk

Quickfire gaming for a busy lifestyle

PLAYING video games is great. They offer fun, respite, and an escape.

However, they can take up a lot of the free time we have at hand, and sometimes the thought of setting a games machine up can be more hassle than it’s worth.

Fear not - there are still ways in which you can fit gaming into your life while requiring minimal set-up and time.

Sometimes you only have a spare five minutes, waiting for the kettle to boil, to jump in and out of a game, and this is where our first contender comes in - the Nintendo Switch Lite.

This is perhaps the most accessible console to pick up and play since starting a game of snake on your old mobile phone.

It boasts a massive library of games, all in a shell not much bigger than some smartphones today. With a tactile feel, and a great

By Emersons Green-based gamer Conor McGeachie

battery life, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a great system to live on the counter, waiting to give you pocketable fun while your hot beverage is made.

Another great system to play a quick game on is actually the brick in your pocket - your mobile phone - which is typically always on your person.

Most phones, be they Android or Apple, offer a wide range of free apps so you can dip your toes into mobile gaming.

Whether you use the Google Play store or Apple App Store, both offer many bite-size games to suit a busy lifestyle.

With no set-up required, playing on your phone can be the easiest way to get your gaming fix.

n LYDE GREEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Are you ready to sizzle?

WE’RE bringing back our fabulous community event for Lyde Green, the annual Summer Sizzler event.

Join us in coming together as a community to enjoy great music, local clubs, fun activities, delicious food and drink.

The Sizzler is held at the Bristol and Bath Science Park on July 15. Add this date to your diary - it’s lots of fun!

If you would like to have a stand or have your group or club perform on our stage area during the day, then do get in touch.

We’re looking for volunteers to help with the organisation of the event and ensure its smooth running. These will be roles with a weekly commitment of two to four hours.

We will also require volunteers for the day to help with setting up the event, ushering, car park patrols, litter picking, packing down and tidying up.

If you would like to join our team and help please get in touch by email at events@lydegreenca.org and put ‘Sizzler volunteering’ in the subject box.

We continue to be on the lookout for a Treasurer and Secretary to join our board of trustees: if you would like to join the team, then we would love to hear from you.

Why not have a chat with one of our trustees to see what’s involved? Email Laura at laura@lydegreenca.org to arrange a time to talk.

You can keep in touch with us on Facebook at @ lydegreencommunityassociation and @LydeGreenCC, by emailing info@lydegreenca.org or visiting the website lydegreenca.org.

You can also call the office at 0117 957 0410. For party or event bookings email Bookings@lydegreenca.org.

MANGOTSFIELD LADIES

FOR April we started mid-month, for our regular pub lunch at the Lamb.

Following our discussions last month, we ordered a King Charles III rose and fixed April 25 at 3pm for the planting, at the Dame School in Mangotsfield.

All of our ladies were looking forward to our meeting in the hall on Monday April 24.

Prior to our meeting it was suggested that it would be nice if we all wore crowns, so as I was already going into Broadmead on the Thursday, I noticed in one of the stores they had them for £2 each!

I took a picture and sent to everybody, who all agreed for me to purchase them. I told the assistant, who was rather amused by 22 crowns, that these were for Mangotsfield Ladies celebrating King Charles III’s coronation.

The big day arrived. We decorated the hall with bunting, wore red white and blue and our newly-purchased crowns.

AHM Caterers arrived at 7pm to set up our BBQ evening. We stood for a toast to the King, together with a rousing rendition of the National Anthem. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening, with fun and laughter.

Our next forthcoming social event is our 'Sounds of the 60s' evening on Saturday June 3, from 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £15. This is for the community, so if you would like to come, please get in touch.

It would also be an opportunity to see the results of all the hard work that has been done to renovate St James Church Hall; our thanks to all those involved.

We are joining Bristol Jazz Society for their boat trip on July 6, and on July 11 we are visiting Jekka’s Herb Farm for a light lunch and tour. Carol Coombs - Mangotsfield Ladies - carol@applause.co.uk

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Shortwood Village WI HELLO again, everyone.

The talk for our April meeting was about charity Dogs for Good. We had a visit from Mary, her husband Bob and Nick, who was a beautiful 11-month-old black Labrador with a head the size of a bucket!

Mary was the speaker, assisted by Bob on the projector, and Nick was impeccably behaved during the talk, chewing his favourite toy.

Mary and Bob are puppy socialisers and Nick is their sixth dog. They have had him from an eight-week-old puppy, and will look after him until he is possibly just over a year old.

While the puppy is in their care, they introduce him to all aspects of general life before he moves on to assist disabled people, children with autism or people with dementia.

Mary said she cries every time a dog leaves. The motto of Dogs For Good is “Our Dogs are Enablers”. What a fantastic, rewarding and necessary job Mary and Bob are doing for this charity, which we have decided to support with a portion of the proceeds from our cream teas in June.

At this point Charlotte arrived to introduce us to her newborn daughter, lovely little Darcy Daisy, who slept through the business part of the meeting. This was followed by a crossword, set by Caroline, with final letters to be unscrambled to make a word relating to St Patrick.

We have recently been ten pin bowling, which was great fun, and our forthcoming events include a visit to Wolfridge Alpaca Farm in May and a trip to Sezincote House and Gardens in June.

Our meeting in May was the resolutions meeting, and a lovely evening celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III with cake, a cuppa and non-alcoholic bubbly. Also, we had a display of handmade jewelled crowns, an obligatory quiz, and a plant and book sale.

We meet on the second Thursday evening of the month in the vestry of the Chapel in Main Road, Shortwood, and our next meeting is on June 8, at 7.30 pm.

We are a friendly bunch, and will give a warm welcome to new visitors, so just turn up for a complimentary visit to see what the WI has to offer.

For more information email us at millhousejoinery@aol.com with the heading Shortwood Village WI.

Lynne Miller

Beechmere Belles WI

WE have had a lovely couple of months at Beechmere Belles WI. Our March meeting was led by a lovely lady who came to talk to us about creating art with glass, be it the cutting and creating of pictures with glass or the wonderful items that can be made by fusing glass.

In April we were treated to an evening of vegan food. Carmen from the Cooking Flea gave a demonstration on how to make a tasty cauliflower couscous salad and a butter bean dipping sauce, a similar texture to houmous. Both tasted amazing, and we went home with the recipes for both.

With the King’s Coronation rushing towards us, a group of Belles got together for an afternoon tea on a glorious Saturday afternoon to celebrateand very nice it was.

The age-old debate of cream or jam first was had - I think it may be law to have this discussion before consuming - but whichever way, they were lovely.

Still to come this year, we have an open water swimming talk, telling us the benefits and best places to swim, and in July we are being joined by a speaker to talk to us about the celebrations and traditions of weddings.

Beechmere Belles WI meets every fourth Thursday of every month, except December, at Emersons Green Village Hall: doors open at 7.30pm, which gives our ladies time to mingle, grab a cup of tea, coffee and cake before we kick off the meeting.

We open with a very quick run-through of everything that the ladies need to know, and the lovely things our marvellous committee have planned for us.

We are always grateful for any ideas members have, what they would like to see and do, and there is plenty of room on the committee for anybody that can spare an hour or so a month to help.

We were very sad to lose one of our committee members last month - other commitments had to take priority, and she will be hugely missed.

It has been lovely to see new faces popping in to see what the WI is all about; please come along if you think you would like to meet new people and learn new things.

For more information, email Beechmerebelles@gmail.com or have a look on our Facebook Page.

Helen Crew

n WHAT’S ON REGULAR EVENTS

Monday

n MEDITATION SESSIONS IN FRENCHAY Come along to the sessions that run from 3rd Monday each month at 7pm Frenchay

Unitarian Chapel BS16 1ND from 20 Sept for the Person-centred Group Meditation and 1st Wednesday at 7pm from 6th Oct for the Kundalini movement meditation. Blessings to you. For more information contact Andrea on 07791119658 homewards.ma@btinternet.com.

n PUCKLECHURCH SHORT

MAT BOWLS CLUB Meet every Monday, Wednesday evening

7.30 - 10.00 and Sunday 2.30 - 5.00. Refreshments inc. All levels really Welcome. Ring Kath 07517 1297

n LONGWELL LIGHTNING

NETBALL CLUB is looking for members with experience of netball, aged 16 or over for seniors and over 10 for juniors. Training Monday nights at Wellsway Way School, in Keynsham. For more information call Maisie Nash on 07920 443820 for juniors, Sandra Nash on 07479 015048 for seniors.

n PILATES CLASS 18:45 – 19:45 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n YOGA CLASS 19:55 – 20:55 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

Tuesday

n RIDGEWAY BADMINTON CLUB meets every Tuesday Evening from 8-10pm at Downend Sports Centre for informal badminton doubles/ singles matches between adults of all ages. First visit free. More info from Graham on 07968 050320.

n MESSY SPACE AT BADMINTON ROAD METHODIST CHURCH, 10.00-

11.30am. This is a term-time group for babies and toddlers with their carers: play, crafts, story, refreshments. More information: www.badmintonroadmethodist.org. uk or 0117 956 1106

n PUCKLECHURCH FOLK DANCING CLUB Established over 40 years we meet at Pucklechurch Community Hall Absom Road every alternative Tuesday 7.30pm until 10.15p.m. All welcolme with a partner or solo to enjoy good music, dancing and refreshments. Call Alan Mobile: 07812508396 or Linda 07843240414

n BODY TONE 9:30 – 10:30 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n LINCOMBE BARN CAMERA

CLUB meets every second, fourth and fifth Tuesday of the month at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. New members always welcome. For information see website at www. lincombebarncameraclub.co.uk or email lincombe.barn@gmail.com.

Wednesday

n THE WOMEN’S SECTION OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

We meet the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 2pm at the old school hall now known as the YOU Foundation by the car park in Page Road Staple Hill. Speakers, quiz’s and handy craft afternoon finish’s with tea. If you are interested please telephone Madeleine Bills Secretary. 0117 9560805.

n WEDNESDAY CAFE FOR SENIORS, at Badminton Road Methodist Church (BS16 6NU) every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon. All Welcome – just come along – make new friends over a cuppa and cake. Information: 0117 239 5984

n MANGO JAMS PARENT/CARER AND TODDLER GROUP meets every Wednesday at Lyde Green

HAIR DESIGNERS

community centre, 9.15am to 11.15am. Warm and friendly group run by volunteers from St James Church.

n DOWNEND TANG SOO DO meets at Christchurch Parish Hall, North Street on Wednesday evenings from 7.30-9pm. Suitable for beginners and ages 10+. First class free. More details from Ian on 07817 744689 or at the Downend Tang Soo Do Facebook page.

n CLEEVESINGERS OF DOWNEND Enjoy singing, then come and join this four part choir who meet on Wednesday evenings at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road 7.30 p.m. from September until July. For more information contact the Secretary on 0117 9561881.

n FRENCHAY PROBUS CLUB We meet at Frenchay Village Hall on the first Wednesday of each month between 10.00 and 12.00 hrs. For further details contact: frenchayprobus@outlook.com

n WARMLEY JAZZ CLUB, every Wednesday £5 on the door. Cadbury Heath Social Club. Doors open 7.30pm. More details at warmleyjazz.co.uk.

n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcomefirst visit free so come along and give us a try. For further information contact Sheila on 01179570792 or 07435316458 or email shinett@ blueyonder.co.uk.

n PILATES 10:15 – 11:15 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n DOWNEND FLOWER

ARRANGING CLUB meets at 7.30pm on the first and third Wednesday each month from September to June at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. For details call Genise on 0777 245 1217.

n FRIENDLY VOICES is a dementia

friendly singing group. There is no cost and the sessions are led by a qualified music therapist, Sharon, who brings a lot of experience and plenty of instruments to have fun with. The sessions are open to all and if you think that you ,or someone you love, would benefit by them come along or contact June Watts on 0117 9566625

Thursday

n NEXT DOOR BOOKS welcomes new members. Book club meets on the last Thursday of the month at 11am, depending on numbers. Normally meets at Emersons Green library, email jessica.callaway@ hotmail.co.uk.

n BRISTOL MALE VOICE

CHOIR are recruiting new members. 7pm - 9.15pm, St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. A varied repertoire, no audition. No need to read music - our regular practices will get you in shape to sing at our regular concerts and enjoy the social vibe. www.bristolmvc.org.uk email secretary@bristolmvc.org. uk Telephone 07764447699.

n COFFEE, CAKE AND COMMUNITY MORNING at Emersons Green Village Hall, 11am1pm. Free tea, coffee and cake - all welcome. Supported by Emersons Green Town Council.

n LONGWELL GREEN

ORCHESTRA meet each Thursday evening at Longwell Green Community Centre from 7:30 until 9:40. We have players of all abilities. Contact@longwellgreenorchestra. org.uk or 07972 844073. Please get in touch before to tell us what instrument and what level.

n PILATES 19:00 - 20:00 at The Sports Pavilion, Pomphrey Hill,

Here at Craig Anthonys we pride ourselves not only on the styles but also the advice that we can provide. Our award winning team with years of experience in colouring and cutting can provide a style unique to suite you.

To arrange a no obligation consultation pop in or give us a call.

Emersons Green, BS16 9NF. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n YOGA 10:15 – 11:15 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n WALKING WITH FRIENDS, start and finish at Kingsmeadow@ Madeforever Community Centre, Fisher Road, BS15 4RQ, 1pm to 2pm. Free and open to anyone who feels they will benefit from joining a group who walk at a gentle pace around Siston Commons. Contact James on: 07588622372

Friday

n TAI CHI FOR PARKINSON’S. Weekly beginners Tai Chi & Qi Gong class for people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and carers. We meet for Tai Chi, tea and cake at Lincombe Barn, Downend. BS16 2RW.

Time: Fridays (term times) 10.15 – 12.15 including tea / coffee break. Contact: Claire - Claire@ Taichibodyandmind.co.uk (07769 857672) or Sarah - buqiworks@ gmail.com (07815 662844)

n PAGE PARK UKULELE CLUB, Bean Tree café, Fridays at 1pm. All abilities welcomed. Places £4 each. For further details call or text ‘Ukulele’ to Ben on 07910 668258.

n RAINBOW TOTS PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP meets at Emersons Green Village Hall every Friday morning in term time, from 10-11.30am. All welcome - for more info e-mail church.egbc@ outlook.com

n MANGOTSFIELD AND CASTLE GREEN UNITED REFORMED CHURCH regular coffee mornings, held on the first Thursday of the month, 10.30am-noon at the church in Cossham Street. Coffee, cake and a chat.

n MESSY VINTAGE Come and Share God-centred fun & fellowship for the Older Generation at Badminton Road

Methodist Downend 2nd Friday monthly 9.30am to 12 noon. For Information 0117 2395984

Saturday

n BRISTOL SUGARCRAFT

GUILD We are a small friendly group who meet every third Saturday of the month 2pm to 4pm at St Andrews Hall, Elm Park, Filton. Beginners very welcome. Please call Jean Kington on 01454 314178.

n STAPLE HILL METHODIST CHURCH Coffee mornings in our beautiful building every Saturday 10.00-12.00 in aid of church funds or charities. Enjoy Fairtrade coffee, tea and cake, and stalls.

Sunday

n BADMINTON ROAD

METHODIST CHURCH In-person

Sunday worship continues weekly at 10.30am, all are welcome. For information contact: Revd Samuel Uwimana: 0117 239 5984 or www. badmintonroadmethodist.org.uk

n MANGOTSFIELD AND CASTLE GREEN UNITED REFORMED

CHURCH hold regular weekly Sunday morning worship at Cossham Street. Services start at 10.30 a.m.with different speakers each week. New members very welcome. For more details please contact Peter Redding (Ch.Sec.) on 0117 9657075.

n STAPLE HILL METHODIST

CHURCH, High Street BS16 5HQ Sunday services 10.30am + Sunday Club for ages 5-17. Holy Communion 2nd Sunday of the month – all invited. Taizé worship 6.00pm 3rd Sunday of the month. Contact Rev Dr Aboseh Ngwana 07482 550888, Philippa Church Liaison at staplehillmethodist@ hotmail.co.uk or www. staplehillmethodist.com

n EMERSONS GREEN BAPTIST

CHURCH services are held every Sunday morning from 10.30am11.30am at Emersons Green Village Hall, Emersons Way. We also hold regular craft services - please check our Facebook page for dates Contact Rev Kevin Donaghy

0117 9575418, e-mail church. egbc@outlook.com or visit www. emersonsgreenchurch.org

n LYDE GREEN LITTER PICKERS meet at 10.30am on the first Sunday of the month outside Lyde

Green Community Centre, Thistle Close. Spend an hour litter picking to help make Lyde Green look more tidy and beautiful! See www. cleanupuk.org.uk/groups/lydegreen-litter-pickers for information.

Team runs for children’s charities

A TEAM of 17 runners from an Emersons Green company took part in this year’s Great Bristol Run Business Challenge to raise funds for Children’s Hospice South West and Bristol Children’s Hospital.

The Procentia Plodders work at a pensions administrations software firm that has entered at least one team into the run every year since 2016.

Implementation consultant Lucy Richens said: “It creates a real buzz around the office as the day approaches and we always enjoy the event itself.

“With colleagues having different hybrid working arrangements, it’s been a chance for us to work together towards something outside of pensions software.”

The group took on the 10k course

Client success director Paul Richmond said: “There’s an amazing atmosphere at the Great Bristol Run and this year was no exception. Everyone cheering you on is so uplifting.”

The AJ Bell Great Bristol Run Business Challenge is open to any group of four or more colleagues, with no maximum number of team members and the finishing times of the fastest four members used to calculate the overall team time.

To donate to the causes supported by the Procentia Plodders, visit: www.givewheel.com/fundraising/709/procentia-plodders-bristol10k/

Karen’s Mobile Foot Health Service

n COMMUNITY HISTORY

One of Downend’s colourful characters

DOWNEND'S shopping streets have been filled with colourful places and faces for centuries.

One well-remembered local man was John U’ren, who moved here from Cornwall with his wife (a teacher) in 1939 to become the pharmacist.

Intending to stay for about three years, they ended up running the chemist shop on Badminton Road and living above it for over 50 years! They both enjoyed playing bowls in Page Park and reached a high standard.

His niece, Ann Edwards, who moved from Cardiff to help her Uncle John in the 1960s, shared some memories of this playful character with local history group CHAP.

She explained that he was

famous for the ‘A board’ which sat outside his shop, on which he would write witty comments about a local or national news items to make people smile.

Passers-by would see John sweeping his bit of pavement outside of his shop every day and would sometimes shout across the road to tell him about their ailments, not taking any notice of the people around them or worrying about confidentiality!

Ann clearly recalled how the inside of his pharmacy looked when she was a child, with all the jars and potions, the wooden shelves and drawers containing various liniments and tablets. She remembered two particular large glass jars, full of medicinal concoctions.

One contained a white liquid, which John would prescribe for tummy upsets, while the other held a brown liquid, which he gave

customers to ease their chesty coughs - or cure pimples in private places!

John was a very flamboyant man, who often complained to Mangotsfield Rural District Council about how many times workmen kept digging up the road for various reasons (little seems to have changed over the years!). To make a point, he had some fun with them by floating plastic ducks in the holes when they were full of water.

Other shops in Downend included Brodrick’s garage, two newsagents, Sperring and Max Young, Don Burland’s shoe shop, Mrs Brodribb’s greengrocery, Jack Barnes’ ironmongery and Powells’ dairy.

Downend Community History and Art Project (CHAP) is a not-forprofit voluntary organisation. CHAP welcomes your memories and photographs of the people who lived and worked here in the past, so please get in touch to share your local history, via email to big.gin@ talktalk.net or by post to CHAP, 49 Overnhill Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5DS.

Helen Rana

Downend in the 1950s. Picture: Bristol Archives

Cleve take positives from big cup final defeat

Bristol Combination Cup final: Chew Valley 70-16 Cleve

CLEVE offered their congratulations to a well-drilled Chew Valley RFC First XV on a well-deserved victory in the Bristol Combination Cup final.

Obviously, this was not the result that Cleve wanted but there were positives the club could take away.

It was a great challenge for a young Cleve team playing a side two leagues above themselves.

Cleve have a great history in this cup, having won it in 1992, 2005 and 2007, but in those days the club had a very wellestablished team.

The team started the final strongly, with Nathan Huntley leading the way in hitting a penalty early on.

Chew then steadily clawed their way back into the game, scoring within the next play phase.

The game was a milestone

A lineout at the cup final

for Cleve in many ways. Andy O'Donnell was playing his last game with his son Harry in the team.

Loft Boarding & Insulation

Nathan, coaching the young team, was not going to go down without a fight.

On 10 minutes he landed another penalty to make the

score 7-6 to Chew.

But the higher league team then began to show their class, winning and recycling quick clean ball. The scoreboard started to click over in their favour and by half-time they were almost out of sight at 35 to 9.

In the second half the weather turned for the worse, but Chew were relentless.

One of Cleve’s ex-players, Dave Brooker, was leading Chew to a great victory but Cleve kept going, scoring the final try of the game on the last play.

An end of the season club dinner on May 12 saw all celebrating the year that the team has progressed through and enjoying each other's company.

The Cleve boys are now having a well-deserved rest before preseason begins on June 20: all new and existing players are welcome.

Steve Bateman

ON THE TREATMENT TABLE

A weekend to remember as stars join fundraiser

AVID readers of this blog will know that, sadly, one of our local heroes, former Bristol Rovers and Ipswich Town striker Marcus Stewart has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. It’s the same terrible illness that has afflicted sporting legends Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir recently.

It’s a cruel and life limiting disease that doesn’t discriminate and has affected so many individuals and their families all over the world. One day, there will be a cure for MND, but it will take money, effort and time to push towards the growing level of research.

Most of us are not research scientists so the best we can hope to do is offer to raise money for deserving charities and support our friends and fellow humans who suffer. By raising money we can shorten the time to when we will see a cure, so I firmly believe that it’s in all of our interests to work together to defeat MND. To this end, Marcus’s friends and family got together to put on a fantastic show to raise money and awareness for the cause.

Two charities, the Darby Rimmer Foundation and MNDA, organised an amazing weekend, kicking off with a golf day at Mendip Spring and a huge celebrity dinner on the Friday. That was followed by a celebrity football match at a packed Memorial Stadium on the Saturday. As you can imagine the weekend was support by a host of celebrities ready to support

Marcus, his wife Louise and their lovely family.

Allow me to namedrop just a few… Paul Scholes, Harry Redknapp, England Lioness Jill Scott, Dean Saunders, Big Ron Atkinson, Keith Gillespie, Jeff Whitley, Ryan Thomas from Coronation Street, Dean Edwards (Bristol’s top TV chef!) and Sky Sports presenter Michelle Owen.

The All Stars, managed by former Rovers boss Darrell Clarke took on the South West Legends who, led by another ex-Gas manager Paul Tisdale, included former local stars such as Chris Lines, Lee Mansell, Lee Brown, Oli Clarke and even a friend from south of the river – Scott Murray.

The team from Cleve Chiropractic were asked to supply the medical support to both sides and I would like to thank the staff who came to lend a helping hand.

We had a full set-up of physio, chiro and sports therapy for both teams and I can tell you that it was super fun to work with the likes of Scholes and Saunders and listen to the banter of Harry Redknapp as he interacted with the players, celebrities and fans alike. A day that none of us will ever forget.

I have thought about whether or not to discuss with you the table that Cleve Chiro bought to support the celebrity auction and dinner on the Friday evening, as it was lively and very entertaining as I’m sure you can imagine. However, as I invited Gary Brindle, the amazing publisher of the Downend Voice, his wife Natalie

and stepson Jay, I thought it would be fun!

The evening was hosted by Bristol rugby legend and British Lion Mark Regan, who was sporting a new manly beard! He took to calling me Alan Carr all evening, which was a new one on me but I have learnt to roll with these things…

We got the night off to a good start with a game of head and and tails. After a few interesting coin tosses none other than our very own Catherine Quinn won the final prize, a signed 2019 World Cup cricket final man-of-thematch Ben Stokes plaque.

Supported, or rather egged on, by Gary and Mr Regan, I was almost coaxed into buying a signed David Beckham shirt but, with the likes of Paul Scholes in the room, that would have been a tough ask. Also, I actually had

my eye on a portrait painting of Marcus by world famous artist John Donaldson, from Bristol.

Finally, after several bottles of wine and some great fun, came the biggest auction ‘lot’… the painting! The bidding was fierce but thankfully the big wig footballers in the room let us normal folk play.

I would like to be able to give you more details of how the auction went but, truly, I can’t quite remember… the excitement must have gotten the better of me. However, the next day when I woke up, with the painting next to me, I smiled as I realised I had won.

Then I tried to remember how much it was… I couldn’t but I do know that every penny has gone to the best cause I can think of. It will go up in the clinic and I will love it forever.

with Tim Button, Doctor of Chiropractic at Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield

The Cleve Chiro table at the dinner

A little 'selfie' with the amazing Jill Scott

The team with Marcus

n SPORT Weather blights cricket season

THE start of the cricket season has been badly affected by the weather, limiting the number of friendly matches that could be arranged before the league fixtures started.

The first full weekend of the league was also wiped out due to the weather.

In the second round of matches the Carsons and Mangotsfield first team played against United Banks, batted first and scored 205, with all the batsmen getting starts.

In a closely fought game, United Banks won on the penultimate ball of the match.

The second team played against Stapleton and bowled them out for 179.

Michael Coles was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-13. Carsons and Mangotsfield managed to score the runs required in the 38th over, following a century opening stand by Steve Sykes and Alex Wallage.

The third Team played against a very strong and experienced Frampton Cottrell team. Batting first, Carsons and Mangotsfield scored 140, with useful contributions from Harry Ravenscroft and Tom Manning. However, Frampton Cottrell knocked off the runs in the 25th over.

The fourth team also played Stapleton in a friendly match, with a number of youth team players making their senior debut. Stapleton won by 29 runs.

The Sunday team played against Bristol Pakistanis and scored 217, with Sam Braley scoring 86. Bristol Pakistanis scored the required runs, only losing two wickets in the process.

Ian Coles

UK titles for Taekwondo team

A MARTIAL arts team based in Lyde Green is celebrating after several students took home UK champion titles.

Members of Fishponds Taekwondo Academy, aged from 15 to 50, took part in the UK International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) Finals Day at Thornbury Leisure Centre on May 13.

Only black belt competitors who had qualified at the National Championships in March were able to take part at the event.

The team, which started training in the area two years ago, returned with six UK Champion titles, as well as silver and bronze medals.

The Under-18s Male team also won gold in patterns and silver in sparring, while a member of Fishponds joined a team from Torbay to form an Under-18s Female team, wining gold in sparring and silver in patterns.

Instructor Gavin Reader said: "It’s a privilege to take part in such an event, where competitors are at the top of their game.

"To make it through is an achievement in itself and we are very proud of the team."

Fishponds Taekwondo Academy trains at Lyde Green Community Centre every Wednesday and Friday. For more information, contact Gavin on 07500 764276 or email fishpondstkd@yahoo.com.

Jasmine Reader won a UK Champion title in sparring